i've been having fun with my new okuma celilo ultralight spin rod, 6' l, line wght 2-6#, lure wght 1/32 to 1/4.  i just broke out my old fenwick 6', fiberglass, line wght 1-3#, lure weight 1/8 to 1/4 oz. i thought the fenwick might be interesting casting a really small thill slip bobber, with a 1/16 oz jighead, and trout magnet plastic.

are there pros or cons about the fenwick vs celilo for bobber fishing? i am guessing the fiberglass might cast further, i don't exactly need the sensitivity of the graphite. what else would the fenwick be good for? spinners? small crank baits? top waters? 

i'm using 4# mono on all my bluegill rods. oh - they just stocked the lake with trout too. 

thanks, guys!

The Celilo should be OK, just slow down your casting motion to a lob cast. With trout set the drag at 1 1/2#

Tom

Float fishing for panfish doesn't really require any certain kind of rod.

The Okuma celilo is a composite rod and pretty parabolic as is. That's pretty much what I use mine for.

I have my 6' ultralight paired up with a old daiwa UL7 reel.

I'm sure the older fenwick will do fine. Will probably bring back memories for earlier days.

If you notice the old metal-spring Stubcaster on the back of this curio shelf...

 

 

... it's set up with a Thill slip bobber, soft braid, and line stopper.  The diminutive raised-pillar multiplier is a Pflueger-made Peerless trade reel.  For grins, I've fished the combo at the creek with my daughters. 

I don't think you'll find too many UL fishing limits on your Fenwick glass rod.  (Not my favorite action, I'd take a Harnell, Phillipson, or my shocking sweet Gladding-made H-I Star).  But any traditional UL technique you want to fish, the rod will be worthwhile - spinners, micro-spoons, micro-jigs. 

 

A couple of similar rods fishing days posted on FFR Another Spin page, including a nice little smallmouth. 

https://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=73529&p=405901

 

https://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=72441

 

If you do visit the page I linked, the masthead photo is my Mitchell 440 on Conolon glass and Hardy Altex on Arjon cane.

I've never fished the 440 Ottomatic - it's too valuable in its box - just took it out for this photo, but I have fished and even loaned the Conolon rod with a Mitchell 410. 

Conolon was King in the '70s, and still fast glass. 

@bulldog1935 thanks for the reply... that's quite a collection of fishing nostalgia! gladding - so i no that name from when i was young (i'm 66). i think it was on fishing lines, or maybe dry fly stuff...?

glad to hear the fenwick is still a viable option for ul fishing... gee, do most guys veer one way or the other? i mean - the new rods just really seem so different in action, and weight, to the fiberglass rods. i guess i'll keep trying the fenwick, and see how i like it. it's a beautiful rod, tho. the coloring, look.. the handle is maybe a bit heavy.  

Gladding is most noted for eventually buying South Bend and pressing the trademark. 

But they were driving the industry in the early 60s.  They acquired H-I before SB, and their coup was buying Harnell when the partners split up, and continuing Harnell production into 1970.  I'm pretty sure the H-I Star spinning rod that sweeps me away was built on a Harnell mandrel. 

John Harrington, who arguably sold the first fiberglass rod, was just not a businessman, and after the Harnell split, he continued making rods under his name through the 1990s - Harrington rods have cult following on every coast. 

@bulldog1935what is the main difference between the harnell and fenwick? i'd guess they're about the same weight?  i also have a browning silaflex - full cork grip, similar to the fenwick, in specs. but it has a 'tennessee' grip...

Bill Phillipson never missed on a rod taper, His Scotchply rods are all fast progressive. 

 

All Harrington rod tapers from fly to surf are fast para.  He first made bass rods. 

Harrington added strength and stiffness in the resin itself with carbon black, and giving his blanks their characteristic through-thickness black color.  (this 7-1/2'er will launch a T-200 shooting head to 70' with just a back-cast, no false cast)

 

I don't want to get into a conflict over Fenwick, I have a lifetime of fly rod observations, and Fenwick has a timeless fan club, but Fenwick tapers are hit and miss.  The rods I don't like are very swoopy with slow mids (exactly where a fly rod needs to roll-cast). 

ty for photos...